Aberrant E-cadherin expression associated with loss of differentiation and advanced stage in human pancreatic cancer

E-cadherin is a cell-cell adhesion molecule involved in tumour invasion and metastasis. We evaluated E-cadherin expression immunohistochemically in 43 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded specimens of pancreatic cancer and investigated its relationship to histopathological features. In non-cancerous pa...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inAnticancer research Vol. 18; no. 6A; p. 4177
Main Authors Karayiannakis, A J, Syrigos, K N, Chatzigianni, E, Papanikolaou, S, Alexiou, D, Kalahanis, N, Rosenberg, T, Bastounis, E
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Greece 01.11.1998
Subjects
Cadherins - analysis
Cadherins - genetics
Cell Membrane - pathology
Cell Membrane - ultrastructure
Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
Humans
Immunohistochemistry
Intercellular Junctions - pathology
Intercellular Junctions - ultrastructure
Lymphatic Metastasis
Neoplasm Metastasis
Neoplasm Staging
Pancreas - pathology
Pancreas - ultrastructure
Pancreatic Neoplasms - genetics
Pancreatic Neoplasms - pathology
Retrospective Studies
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Summary:E-cadherin is a cell-cell adhesion molecule involved in tumour invasion and metastasis. We evaluated E-cadherin expression immunohistochemically in 43 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded specimens of pancreatic cancer and investigated its relationship to histopathological features. In non-cancerous pancreatic cells E-cadherin immunoreactivity was localized at the cell membrane, particularly at the intercellular junctions. Abnormal E-cadherin expression was found in 18 (42%) cases. A significantly higher proportion of poorly-differentiated tumours (71%) showed abnormal E-cadherin expression compared with moderately (50%) and well (19%) differentiated tumours (P = 0.037). There was a significant correlation between abnormal E-cadherin expression and lymph node involvement (P = 0.013), the presence of distant metastases (P = 0.034) and advanced tumour stage (P = 0.025). These findings suggest that loss of normal E-cadherin expression is involved in the progression of pancreatic cancer.
ISSN:0250-7005